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FatR -> RE: FatR's Thoughts (3/7/2011 9:03:07 PM)
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Okay, John. The proposal for changes to smaller warships and escorts, condensed in one post. Almost all of the changes below are based on the assumption that with a war of attrition becoming obvious reality by the second half of 1942 and economy strained by the expanded 4th Circle program, Japanese take a coherent and unified effort to simplify and streamline production of said ships. Their analysis of accumulated combat experience follows roughly the same patterns of IRL, so ASW still will be given low priority until well into 1943. The difference is primarily driven by economic expediency.
0)Assuming that changes begin so late, let's leave subchasers as they are. Upgrading facilities that produced auxilary subchasers of CHa-class in the middle of the war likely will be seen as too expensive and disruptive for production (as someone said, two changes of model on the conveyor belt were equivalent to one carpet bombing of the factory in terms of production reduction)
0.5)MTBs/MGBs/MLs should arrive in Hailar too, to avoid the bug.
1)So the only early change will be the better thought-out conversion of Otori TBs, meant to make them both more credible surface combatants and actually capable of doing escorting. I'll remind you the stats:
1x127/40 F
2x127/40 R
6x25mm C (two triple mounts)
3x53cm Type 92 torpedos C (without reloads)
2xType 95 Mod-2 DC R
Late in the war add radar, Type 2 DCs and maybe a couple of single-mount 25mm guns (the ship will not be able to accomodate much more top weight). I can send you or post here a drawing of this speculative project, demonstrating how it will look like, if you are interested.
2)Akizuki class is accepted as the sole first line DD class to be produced in late summer of 1942. It is superior against enemy destroyers, and has the best AAA potential by far... the torpedo battery is relatively weak, and lack of an AP shell for 100/65 gun hurts, but with aircraft being the main threat, correct priorities are obvious. Building of Yugumo class is cancelled, which also allows to phase out of production 127/50 gun.
More specifically, never ordered are (a) 6 Yugumo-class destroyers that were ordered from August 1942 onwards in RL : Okinami, Kishinami, Asashimo, Hayashimo, Akishimo, Kiyoshimo + (b)6 "dream" Yugumo-class destroyers, never built in RL, but appearing in the building queue very late in the game: Kawagiri, Kiyokaze, Murakaze, Satokaze, Taekaze, Tanigiri.
Each of these 6-ship series is replaced with 5 Akizuki-class destroyers (in addition to expansion of the class due to savings on CLs, as discussed above), built in roughly the same timeframe. As Akizukis were much large than Yugumos and required more crew, even with benefits of relatively streamlined production replacing them 1:1 is hardly realistic. However, said benefits might well save manpower and materials for other projects. Part of these savings will be eaten by relatively early and good upgrades Akitsukis get (they get the best radar equipment of all Japanese DDs, and they get it earlier than others). But some economy will be achieved, which is good for overall plausibility of the scenario.
For a quick reference, timeframe of Yugumo-class construction, and possible names for new Akizuki-class destroyers[:)]:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%ABgumo_class_destroyer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akizuki_class_destroyer_%281942%29
3)33 Ukuru-class escorts are replaced with 42 C/D-class escorts (as usual, half Cs, half Ds) built within the same timeframe. This again will save some workforce for other projects. C/D class ships are not as good, true, but the difference is fairly small, particularly once you consider that they are not likely to meet an enemy against which an extra 120mm gun will make a difference.
4)The RL project of Type 1 APD/LSI is replaced by the project based on the hull of Matsu DD class, to unify their production. These ships are signficantly smaller, benefit from being unified with a mass-produced DD class in most details, and so can be built in greater numbers. Expand the program to 35 APDs from 28, to reflect that. Endurance, durability, speed and so on - as Matsu class. Armament:
1x127/40 F
3x25mm RS
3x25mm LS
3x25mm R (in single mounts)
2xType 2 DC R
Type 13 Radar
Capacity: 300 troops/200 cargo.
So, still Dauntless fodder, but at least less eggs in every individual basker.
5)Considering greater number of capital ships Japan gets in Scen 70 we might just stop at this stage. However, if others consider that measures proposed above might result in sufficient shipbuilding efficiency boost to justify giving a bit more naval goodies to Japan, I think the best way to do so is to accelerate Matsu/Tachibana program a bit and to add several ships in it.
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